U.S. patent number 4,938,008 [Application Number 07/292,266] was granted by the patent office on 1990-07-03 for pallet wrapping apparatus.
Invention is credited to Roy Salzsauler.
United States Patent |
4,938,008 |
Salzsauler |
July 3, 1990 |
Pallet wrapping apparatus
Abstract
In a pallet wrapping apparatus for wrapping pallet loads or the
like with a membrane comprising; a support beam adapted for
generally horizontal securement to a vertical structure above the
pallet load, an arm one end of which is rotatably connected to the
beam in the region remote from the structure, dispensing structure
depending from the other end of the arm for dispensing the
membrane, and a drive mechanism adapted to rotate the arm about the
load and dispense the membrane from the dispensing structure so as
to wrap the membrane about the pallet load.
Inventors: |
Salzsauler; Roy (Georgetown,
Ontario, CA) |
Family
ID: |
26753043 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/292,266 |
Filed: |
December 30, 1988 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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72146 |
Jul 10, 1987 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
53/556;
53/588 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B
11/025 (20130101); B65B 2210/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
11/02 (20060101); B65B 013/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;53/556,587,588,210 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
"Cobra Pallet Wrapper", Mueller Packaging, Inc., March 1,
1985..
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Primary Examiner: Sipos; John
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/072,146, filed
07/10/87 now abandoned.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Pallet wrapping apparatus for wrapping pallet loads or the like
with a membrane comprising:
(a) support means adapted to be solely supported at one end thereof
for general horizontal securement to a vertical wall above said
pallet load, said support means defining an enclosure for housing
drive means interiorally of said support means;
(b) arm means one end of which is rotatably connected to another
end of said support means in the region remote from such structure,
said arm means defining an enclosure for housing second drive means
interiorally of said arm means;
(c) hollow leg means depending from another end of said arm means
for and solely supported by said arm means;
(d) endless chain link means disposed interiorally of said hollow
leg means, said endless chain link means engageable with said
second drive means;
(e) carriage means carried by said leg means, said carriage means
connected to said endless chain link means;
(f) said first drive means adapted to rotate said arm means about
said load and dispense said membrane from said carriage means so as
to wrap said membrane about said pallet load;
(g) said second drive means adapted to displace said endless chain
link means whereby said carriage means is displaced along said
hollow leg means between an upper and lower limit during rotation
of said arm means about said pallet load so as to wrap said
membrane about said pallet load between said upper and lower
limits.
2. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means
associated with said dispensing means for vertically displacing
said dispensing means relative said pallet load during rotation of
said arm means about said pallet load so as to wrap said membrane
vertically about said pallet load.
3. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including means
to limit the vertical displacement of said carriage means relative
said pallet load between an upper limit and a lower limit during
rotation of said arm means about said pallet load so as to wrap
said membrane about said pallet load between said upper and lower
limits.
4. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said
membrane is helically wrapped about said pallet load between upper
and lower limits.
5. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said
second drive means is adapted to vertically reciprocally displace
said endless chain link means and said carriage means relative said
pallet load between said upper and lower limits during rotation of
said arm means about said pallet load so as to wrap said membrane
about said pallet load between said upper and lower limits.
6. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including
programable means to select the number of wraps of membrane about
said pallet load in said lower limit and to select the number of
wraps of membrane about said pallet load in said upper limit.
7. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said
carriage means includes adjustable tensioning means so as to permit
the selected tensioning of said membrane during wrapping of said
membrane about said pallet load.
8. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including
automatic stop means associated with said arm means and said
carriage means so as to automatically stop the rotation of said arm
means about said pallet load when an object obstructs the path of
rotation of said arm means about said pallet load.
9. Pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said
dispensing means includes height detecting means so as to detect
the height of said pallet load.
10. Pallet wrapping apparatus for wrapping loads or the like with a
stretchable membrane comprising:
(a) support means adapted to be solely supported at one end thereof
above said pallet load, said support means defining an enclosure
for housing first drive means interiorally of said support
means;
(b) arm means one end of which is rotatably connected to another
end of said support means, said arm means defining an enclosure for
housing second drive means interiorally of said arm means;
(c) hollow leg means extending outwardly from another end of said
arm means and solely supported by said arm means;
(d) endless chain link means disposed interiorally of said hollow
leg means, said endless chain link means engageable with said
second drive means;
(e) carriage means carried by said leg means, said carriage means
connected to said endless chain link means;
(f) said first drive means adapted to rotate said arm means about
said load so as to dispense said stretchable membrane from said
carriage means and wrap said stretchable membrane about said pallet
load;
(g) said second drive means adapted to displace said endless chain
link means whereby said carriage means is displaced along said
hollow leg means between a first and second limit during rotation
of said arm means about said pallet load so as to wrap said
stretchable membrane about said pallet load between said first and
second limits.
11. A pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said
support means is adapted for horizontal securement at said one end
to a vertical structure so as to present a cantilevered support
beam projecting outwardly from said vertical structure above said
pallet load.
12. A pallet wrapping apparatus as claimed in claim 11 whereby said
hollow leg means presents slot means along a portion of said hollow
leg means and said carriage means includes connecting means
received by said slot means for connecting said carriage means to
said endless chain link means.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping pallet loads
with a membrane adapted to contain the load during shipping and
transport. More particularly, it relates to a pallet wrapping
apparatus adapted to wrap pallet loads while the pallet remains
stationary.
BACKGROUND TO INVENTION
The shipment of pallet loads of goods constitutes a substantial
part of commercial traffic. Frequently the pallet loads may
comprise articles that do not stack in sufficiently stable
configurations to permit stability during shipping. Often it is
desirable to ship pallet loads of goods which are dimensionally
different in size and shape from load to load depending on the
purchase orders being filled. In these situations and numerous
others, it has been found desirable to have some means for wrapping
the pallet load with a membrane such as plastic film or fabric or
plastic netting that will tightly fit about the articles in the
load and contain them during the bumps and knocks of commercial
transport.
Perhaps the most common of these methods comprises turning the
pallet load while leading the ribbon of film onto the load and
permitting it to wrap the load as the pallet turns. In some
methods, the wrapping may be followed by heating of the membrane to
shrink fit it about the goods, in other cases, an elastic membrane
is wrapped under tension to obtain a tight fit. Examples of the
prior art are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,806, entitled "Process
of Making a Stretch-Wrap Package" which issued to Lantech, Inc. on
Feb. 25, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,288 entitled "Method of
Heat-Shrink Wrapping Goods" which issued to Martin J. Tulkoff on
July 22, 1975.
The apparatus which has been developed and sold to implement this
method of pallet wrapping suffers the common deficiency that the
pallet load must be rotated during wrapping. Accordingly, means
must be provided to get the pallet load onto and off of a rotatable
table and means must be provided to rotate and support the table
under a variety of loads and conditions. It is perceived by the
present inventor that this deficiency leads to increased costs of
fabrication, installation and operation for such apparatus.
Other apparatus have been developed which rotate both the pallet
load and the source of the wrapping membrane, for example that
disclosed in C.P. 1,114,279 entitled "Tension Wrap Packaging
Machine" which issued to Stretch-Wrap Inc. on Dec. 15, 1981.
However, this apparatus is again complicated and would seem to
suffer all of the deficiencies mentioned above. See also in this
regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,565 entitled "Stretch-Wrapped Package,
Process and Apparatus" which issued to Lantech, Inc. on Mar. 21,
1978.
Other apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,798 entitled
"Shrink Palletized Process and Apparatus" which issued to Lantech,
Inc on Feb. 26, 1974, which teaches a dispenser mounted on an arm
which rotates over a palletized load to wrap the load with plastic
membrane. After wrapping, the palletized load is carried on into an
oven for heat shrinkage. The apparatus described in this patent
uses a roll of membrane material having sufficient width to wrap a
package of goods on a pallet with a single turn of the membrane
roll about the palletized load. This apparatus lacks versatility
for wrapping loads having a variety of heights. Accommodation is
made for loads of differing heights by having apparatus which will
permit the insertion of different size rolls on the dispenser.
However, this apparatus suffers the deficiency that where each load
is of a different height it would require constant changing of the
rolls in order to complete coverage without wastage of
material.
OBJECT OF INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and simple
apparatus of economical construction, installation and operation
which is capable of wrapping pallet loads of goods in which a
dispenser of stretch-wrap plastic film is turned about a palletized
load while moving up and down with respect to such load in order to
obtain a complete cover without wastage of film.
FEATURES OF INVENTION
It is an aspect of this invention to provide a pallet wrapping
apparatus for wrapping pallet loads or the like with a member which
comprises, a support beam adapted for generally horizontal
securement to a vertical structure above the pallet load, an arm
one end of which is rotatably connected to the beam in the region
remote from the structure, dispensing structure depending from the
other end of the arm for dispensing the membrane, and drive
mechanism adapted to rotate the arm about the load and dispense the
membrane from the dispensing means so as to wrap the membrane about
the pallet load.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide a pallet wrapping
apparatus for wrapping pallet loads or the like with a stretchable
membrane comprising, a support beam which is disposed adjacent the
pallet load, an arm one end of which is rotatably connected to the
beam, dispensing structure extending outwardly from the other end
of the arm for dispensing the stretchable membrane, drive structure
adapted to rotate the arm about the load so as to dispense the
stretchable membrane from the dispensing structure and wrap the
stretchable membrane about the pallet load and means associated
with the dispensing structure so as to displace the dispensing
structure between a first and second limit during rotation of the
arm about the pallet load so as to wrap the stretchable membrane
about the pallet load between the first and second limits.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and features are illustrated and described
in the following specification to be read in conjunction with the
sheets of drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the pallet wrapping
apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of the depending leg
of the pallet wrapping apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of the carriage.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG.
1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the figures like numerals represent the like elements.
In FIG. 1, a palletized load 10 is shown supported on a pallet 12
before the apparatus of this invention.
The apparatus comprises a support beam 14, rotatable arm 16, and
dispensing structure 18.
The support beam 14 is bolted to a wall 20 by means of a plate 22
and bolts 24.
Although the support beam 14 is illustrated as being wall mounted
it may also be supported by a vertical structure such as a vertical
I beam (not shown) which is attached to a "C-Shaped" movable
structure overlying a floor. In such arrangement the pallet load
would be driven onto the "C-Shaped" structure and the pallet load
would contribute to the stability of the structure during the
wrapping procedure It is preferred however that the support beam 14
be cantilevered or bolted to a vertical wall as shown in FIG. 1 as
this construction uses the least floor space while providing a
sufficiently rigid structure to support the forces generated within
the apparatus during wrapping.
The support beam 14 of the preferred embodiment is manufactured
from sheet steel having a top wall 26, bottom wall 28, end wall 30
and two opposite side walls 32 so as to define an enclosure or
hollow structure between said walls 26, 28, 30 and 32.
The support beam 14 houses a motor 34 and a gear box arrangement
36. The motor 34 and gear box 36 each present a pulley and shaft
assembly 38 and 40 respectively which are connected together by
means of an endless belt 42.
The apparatus also presents a rotatable arm 16 one end of which is
rotatably connected to the beam 14 in the region remote from the
wall 20. The arm 16 is also manufactured from sheet steel having a
top wall 44, bottom wall 46, end walls 48 and opposite side walls
50 so as to define a rectangular enclosure therein.
More particularly the arm 16 presents a shaft 52. One end of the
shaft 52 is fixedly secured to the arm 16 and the other end of the
shaft 52 is rotatably connected to the support beam 14. The gear
box 36 includes an aperture 54 which fixedly releasably secures the
other end of the shaft 52.
Energization of the motor 34 causes the belt 42 to activate gears
(not shown) within gear box 36 which in turn rotates shaft 52
fixedly secured to the arm 16 thereby causing the arm 16 to rotate
above and about the pallet load 10.
Arm 16 contains motor 56 and gear box 58. Gear box 58 presents a
rotatable shaft and pulley arrangement 60 and a sprocket and shaft
arrangement 62 which are perpendicularly disposed relative one
another and connected by gears (not shown) so as to change the
horizontal rotational motion within the arm 16 to a vertical motion
to the dispensing structure 18 in a manner to be more fully
described herein.
Motor 56 also presents a pulley and shaft arrangement 64 which is
connected to the pulley and shaft arrangement 60 of gear box 58 by
means of an endless belt 64.
The other end of the arm 16 which is remote from shaft 52 presents
a depending leg 66 which is best illustrated in FIG. 2. Leg 66 is
also manufactured from sheet steel having a top wall 68, bottom
wall 70, front wall 72, back wall 74, and side walls 76 and 78, so
as to define a rectangular enclosure therein. Top wall 68 includes
a series of holes 80 which are adapted to receive bolts (not shown)
so as to fixedly secure the leg 66 to the arm 16.
Top wall 68 also presents two apertures 82 for receiving the return
links of an endless link chain 84.
Leg 66 presents a sprocket 86 in the region remote from the arm 16.
Sprockets 62 and 86 are connected together by the endless chain
link 84.
Energization of motor 56 rotates pulley and shaft arrangement 64
which transfers such rotational motion to the pulley and shaft
arrangement 60 of gear box 58 by means of the endless belt 64. The
rotational motion of the pulley and shaft arrangement 60 is
transferred to the sprocket 62 thereby causing the endless chain
link to rotate about the sprockets 62 and 86 so as to displace the
chain 84 which is located within leg 66 in a vertical
direction.
As best illustrated in FIG. 2, front wall 72 presents a vertical
slot 87 and two protruding flange portions 88 along the vertical
length thereof. The flange portions 88 are adapted to be received
by a vertically displacable carriage 90 for dispensing a
stretchable membrane 92 such as plastic film or the like about the
pallet load 10 in a manner to be more fully particularized
herein.
Carriage 90 presents a vertical wall 91 which includes a channel
portion 94 for receiving flange portions 88 of leg 66 and to slide
there along in a vertical direction.
The vertical wall 91 includes holes 96 which received bolts 98 that
are adapted to protrude slot 87 for securement to the chain 8 4 by
means of securing element 100 and securing bolts 102 as best
illustrated in FIG. 2.
Therefore since the carriage 90 is secured to the chain link 84,
movement or displacement of the chain 84 will cause movement or
displacement of the carriage 90. More particularly as described
above, energization of motor 56 will cause the rotation of chain
link 84 about sprocket 62 and 86 in a vertical direction thereby
causing a vertical displacement of carriage 90. Furthermore motor
56 may be energized so as to cause the carriage 90 to be displaced
vertically upwardly or vertically downwardly depending on the
polarity of the electrical energy applied to the motor 56 in a
manner well known to those persons skilled in the art.
Carriage 90 also presents top plate 104 and bottom plate 106.
Bottom plate 106 is adapted to receive membrane roll dispenser
plate 108 which supports a roll of plastic film 110. The roll 110
fits axially over roll shaft 112 and is secured thereto by a wing
nut 114.
The roll shaft 110 is also equipped with a tensioning spring 116
which in combination with the wing nut 114 provides a means for the
operator to adjust the tensioning of the wrap of plastic membrane
92 during rotation. By tighting wing nut 114, greater pressure is
exerted to the opposite ends of roll 110 thereby imparting an
increased tensioning or pressure to the roll 102.
Increased tensioning will allow the operator of the apparatus to
more tightly wind the membrane 92 about the pallet load 10 during
rotation. If a stretchable membrane such as plastic film 92 is
utilized in the roll 110, the increased tensioning will cause the
stretchable membrane to stretch which assists in securing the
pallet load.
Carriage 90 also is equipped with guide rolls 118 and 120 which
assist in guiding the membrane 92 about the pallet load 10.
The operation of the pallet wrapping apparatus will now be
described.
A pallet load 10 is positioned below the apparatus approximately
centred below shaft 52 by means of a tow truck. The end piece of a
membrane 92 is then secured to a portion of the pallet load 10.
Motor 34 is then energized by suitable electrical circuitry (not
shown) which drives the arm 16 by rotating arm 16 about shaft 52.
This causes the arm 16 to rotate above and about the pallet load
10.
It will be apparent that the horizontal length of the arm 16 will
be such that arm 16 will clear the horizontal distance between
shaft 52 and wall 20.
As the arm 16 rotates about load 10 the carriage 90 dispenses the
membrane 92 about the pallet load so as to wrap the membrane 92
about the pallet load 10.
Motor 56 may also be energized by suitable electrical circuitry
(not shown) so as to vertically displace the carriage 90 relative
the pallet load during rotation of the arm 16 about the pallet load
10 so as to wrap the membrane 92 vertically about pallet load
10.
In the preferred embodiment the carriage 90 is in a first or lower
most limit .sup.L Low when the apparatus is de-energized or when
commencing operation of the apparatus. Upon rotation of the arm 16
about pallet load 10 the motor 56 is energized which the causes the
chain 84 to vertically displace or lift dispensing carriage 90
thereby causing the membrane 92 to be helically wrapped about the
pallet load during rotation of the arm 16 about pallet load 10.
The upper or second limit .sup.L Up of vertical displacement of
carriage 90 is defined by the upper most portion of slot 87.
However the upper most limit of displacement of carriage 90 may be
controlled by controlling the energization of motor 56.
The carriage 90 may also be equipped with a light emitting device
122 with suitable electrical circuitry (not shown) which emits a
beam of light toward pallet load 10 during vertical displacement of
carriage 90 and is reflected back towards the device 122 by the
pallet 10. However once the vertical displacement of carriage 90
exceeds the height of pallet load 10, the beam of light is no
longer reflected back towards the device 122 by the pallet load 10
and the vertical displacement of carriage 10 is automatically
stopped.
The motor 56 may also be equipped with suitable circuitry (not
shown) so as to cause the carriage 90 to displace downwardly from
its upper position .sup.L Up to its lower position .sup.L Low.
Furthermore the apparatus is also equipped with programable knobs
124 and 126 which are connected to suitable circuitry (not shown)
which permits the operator to program the apparatus so as to select
the number of wraps of membrane 92 about the pallet load 10 in the
lower limit .sup.L Low and to select the number of wraps of
membrane 92 about the pallet load 10 in the upper limit .sup.L
Up.
Also the rotational leading portion of leg 66 and arm 16 may be
equipped with light emitting and reflective devices 128 and 130
respectively. So long as the beam of emitted and reflected light is
not interrupted, the arm 16 will continue to rotate about pallet
loads 10 upon energization of motor 34. However if something
obstructs the path of Rotation of the apparatus, the beam of light
is broken, motor 34 is de-energized, and the rotation of arm 16 is
automatically stopped. This serves as a mechanism to protect the
apparatus from being accidentally damaged.
The speed of rotation of arm 16 and vertical displacement of
carriage 90 may be controlled by suitable electrical circuitry.
By utilizing the pallet wrapping apparatus as disclosed herein, the
operator may wrap pallet loads of different heights and sizes by
utilizing the same size of roll of membrane 92.
Although the preferred embodiment as well as the operation and use
has been specifically described in relation to the drawings, it
should be understood that variations in the preferred embodiment
could be easily achieved by a skilled man in the trade without
departing from spirit of the invention. Accordingly the invention
should not be understood as to be limited to the exact form
revealed by the drawings. And in particular the gear box 58 and
endless link chain 84 could be substituted by a long threaded lead
screw within leg 66 which would be directly connected to pulley 60,
and the carriage 90 connected to the lead screw by means of
threaded collars or the like.
* * * * *